Meet Anna Okello

I am the Practical Action Consulting Energy Project Manager and Business Developer. I have been in this position since August 2017. I currently manage a project on Humanitarian Energy, but before this position I was working as a consultant on another PAC Humanitarian Energy project, so it felt like a smooth transition.

The project I manage is called Humanitarian Energy for Displaced Populations in Refugee Camp and Informal Settlements (HELP Project). Currently we are active in three camps in Rwanda and one IDP site in Nepal.

What motivates you?
I love going out into the field and seeing the real life changes that our projects bring. I feel really privileged to be able to do this work. Working on humanitarian energy projects, will bring you to places that are just not accessible to everyone.

Give us a brief overview of a recent project you’ve worked on
Last year I worked on a humanitarian energy project named “Energy and Forced Displacement; a Qualitative Approach to Light, Heat and Power in Refugee Camps”. I was the Qualitative Research Analyst and spent considerable time in Northern Kenya in Kakuma Refugee Camp doing qualitative energy research. It was fantastic.

Qualitative research methods are underutilised in our field. It is so important to capture not only the decisions that people make but also the motivations that underpin these decisions. Because this is the information that can then be used to provide a (energy) solution that is fully catered to the wants and needs of the recipient.

What are your personal goals?
To live happy, healthy and stress-free.

What might someone be surprised to know about you?
During my MSc. In International Development, I specialised in Gender! And it is a topic I am extremely passionate about. Without gender equality there can be no real development because large parts of the population will not be able to benefit. Gender itself is such a broad topic that it is applicable in all elements of my work.

What do you do when you’re not working?
I like to relax with my husband, either at home or visit one of the many outdoor bars in Nairobi.

I love travelling and I love languages. I am currently improving my French via Practical Action’s e-learning environment and I am making steady progress. Next is Swahili! And my next travel destination… hopefully an island somewhere in the middle of the ocean, preferably without internet connection and with terrible cell phone reception. Feel free to email me your recommendations!